Rotary meat-cutter



v(N0 Mbdel.)

L. T. SNOW.

ROTARY MEAT CUTTER.

Patented Apr. 10, 1894.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

LEVI T. SNOW, OF NEW' HAVEN, ASSIGNOR OF ONE-HALF TO OLIVER D.

WOODRUFF, OF SOUTHINGTON, CONNECTICUT.

ROTARY M EAT-CUTTER.v

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 518,047, dated April10, 1894.

Application filed November 20, 1893. Serial No. 491,471. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern: 1 I

Be it known that I, LEVI T. SNOW, of New Haven, in the county of NewHaven and State of Connecticut, have invented anew Improvement in RotaryMeat-Cutters; and I do hereby declare the following, when taken inconnection with accompanying drawings and the letters of referencemarked thereon, to be a full, clear, and exact description of the same,and which said drawings constitute part of this specification,andrepresent, in-

Figure 1, a view in side elevation of the rotary meat-cutter constructedin accordance with my invention; Fig. 2, a broken view there! of, invertical longitudinal section, with the handle removed and a portion ofthe foot or standard of the case broken away; Fig. 3, a similar view ofthe case, with the screw removed; Fig. 4, a detached view in endelevation of the delivery end of the screw; Fig. 5, a detached brokenview of the delivery end of a modified form which the screw may assume.

My invention relates to an improvementin that class of rotarymeat-cutters in which the meat is cut and then formed into loose stringsor ropes, at which time it receives some further cutting, the objectbeing to produce a device in which the number and wear of parts and thefriction of operation shall be reduced to the minimum, which shallhave agreatca-' pacity for work,and be adapted to be readily taken apart andcleaned, and which shall be constructed so that incorrect re-assemblanceby the most ignorant user is impossible.

With these ends inview, my invention consists in a meat-cutter havingcertain details of construction and combinations of parts as,

will be hereinafter described and pointed out in the claim.

My improved device consists in three main instrurnentalities orelements, viz: a frame or case, a combined integral forcer, cutter, andformer, in theform of a screw, and ahandle. Of these three elements thefirst two are simple elements, that is to say, made in one integral.

piece, while the last may be termed a composite element, as it comprisesthe handle proper and the set-screw by means of which it is secured inplace. The three elements referred to may vary in size and proportions,

but will be constructed substantially as herein shown.

The case or frame comprises a hopper A, a body B, containing a circularoperating-chamber B, a sleeve-bearing C, and a foot or standard D, thesaid parts being cast in one integral piece. The said operating-chamberis constructed to flare outwardly at its outer end. As herein shown, itbegins to flare at a point just forward of the hopper, and iscylindrical in the rear of the said point. If preferred, however, it maybe flared outwardly throughout its length, or from any point within itslength, provided only that it is flared at its outer end, and for asufiicient distance inward therefrom to secure the reqiured cuttingaction as will be hereinafterdescribed. The walls of the said chamberare constructed with spirally arranged grooves 19, separated by narrowribs b of corresponding arrangement. By preference there are more of thesaid grooves in the outwardly flaring portion of the chamber than in thecylindrical portion thereof, the grooves being as it were, multiplied inthe former portion of the chamber. The outer ends of the groovesterminate in the same or substantially the same vertical plane, at apoint just within the edge of the body B, which may be said to end, in asolid band 17 as clearly shown in Fig. 3.

The combined integralforcer, cutter and former, has the general shape ofa screw, as, for convenience, I shall hereinafter refer to it indescribing my improved device. In its main portion E, it corresponds tothe form of the operating-chamber B already described, its outer endbeing made to flare outward to fit into the outwardly flaring end of theoperatingchamber, and its inner end being made cylindrical to fit intothe cylindrical inner portion of the said chamber. Should the chamber bevaried in shape from the form shown, the said main portion of the screwwill be'varied in the same manner.- The said main portion of the screwis constructed with a spiral rib e, coarsely pitched at its inner end,and throughout the cylindrical portion of the screw, but graduallygrowing finer in pitch from the time that it enters the outwardlyflaring portion thereof. The spiral groove 6' formed between the coilsof this rib, grow gradually shallower and narrower from the rear end ofthe said portion of the screw forward to the outer end thereof. Asherein shown, and preferably, the flaring outer end of the said portionof the screw is constructed with two additional ribs e (2?, which formadditional grooves 6 e and c The outer ends of all of the grooves growgradually shallower until they merge into the full diameter of the endof the screw. But however constructed the outer ends of the ribs andgrooves in the screw will terminate at a point within the correspondingends of the ribs and grooves in the wall of the chamber. Directlyadjacent to the outer ends of the grooves and ribs in the screw, Iconstruct the same with a circular series of forming perforations Ewhich, when the cutteris assembled, coincide with the groove and ribs inthe chamber, and cooperate with thesame in forming the cut meat, as wellas in additionally cutting the same, the said perforations beingarranged radially, and opening at their inner ends into a recess Eformed in the outer face or end of the screw. If preferred 1 mayconstruct the forming openings in some other manner, as for instanceinthe form of radially arranged slots F, shown in Fig. 5 of the drawings,and constructed to deliver the meat inwardly. It will be seen from theforegoing description that the screw, or combined integral part hasforcing, cutting, and forming functions. At its extreme inner end thescrew is provided with a cylindrical journal E which fits within thebearing sleeve 0, of the case or frame, and projects beyond the same,its projecting end being faced as at E and constructed with acentral-longitudinallythreaded screw-hole E The third element of myimproved device comprises a handle G, which may be of any approved form,and a retaining-screw G by which it is held in place. The handle isprovided at its inner end with an irregular opening g, conforming to theform in cross section of the faced projecting end of the journal E ofthe screw. The retaining-screw G is entered into the threaded hole E inthe said journal, so that the head of the screw impinges against theouter face of the inner end of the handle, as clearly shown in Fig. 1,whereby the handle is not only held in place, but also the screw is heldagainst outward displacement in the case. The journal E is adapted inlength so that it will not project entirely through to the outer face ofthe handle, whereby provision is made for the adj ustment of the screw,to compensate for wear, and to hold the same in right relation to thechamber of the case. I do not limit myself, however, to constructing thehandle as described, or to the described adaptation of the projectingend of the journal E of the screw to receive the same, for obviouslythose de tails may be varied. Thus, the projecting end of the journalmight have a longitudinal groove to receive a pin projecting into acircular opening formed in the inner end of the handle.

The operation of my improved meat-cutter is as follows: The meat is fedin the usual manner into the hopperA, and forced forward by the rotationof the screw, through the medium of the grooves and ribs thereof, andthe grooves and ribs of the case. The meat moves along concurrently, asit may be said, in the grooves of both the screw and case, until itreaches the ends of the grooves in the screw, when it emerges from thesaid grooves in the screw, which terminate, as shown and described, in aplane located within the plane of the extreme outer ends of the groovesin the case. solely in the outer ends of the grooves in the case, andover that small plain or solid section of the screw lying between theends of the grooves in the screw and the circular series of perforationsor forming openings therein. The meat then passes directly from theextreme ends of the grooves in the case into the perforations or formingopenings in the screw, in which perforations or openings it is finallycut, and through which it is discharged from the device. It will beunderstood, of course, that in the passage of the meat concurrently asaforesaid through the grooves of the case and screw, it is sheared,particularly at the inner end of the outwardly flaring portion of thescrew, for it will be apparent that unless the meat has been veryconsiderably cut by the time it emerges from the extreme ends of thegrooves in the screw for entrance into the outer ends of the grooves ofthe case, it cannot get into the same, and pass over the solid portionof the screw lying between the ends of the grooves therein and theforming openings therein, for at that point the meat, however muchflattened, could not possibly find a passage between the screw and case,except through the ends of the grooves in the latter, inasmuch as the.

plain or solid portion of the screw referred to has direct contact withthe faces of the outer ends of the ribs in the case. It will beunderstood, therefore, that the meat after receiving very considerablepreliminary cutting, emerges from the grooves in the screw, and forashort-time is located solely in the grooves of the case, which alonefeed it into the perforations or forming openings of the screw, fromwhich it is discharged from the meat cutter. I may here explain that thetransit of the meat through the outer ends of the grooves in the caseand over the solid portion of the screw, is efiected by the pressure ofthe meat moving outward in the case, and also by the drawing action ofthe perforations or forming openings in the outer end of the screwco-acting with the inclined outer ends of the ribs in the case. It maybe explained also that the meat then fed into those perforations oropenings is caught and drawn forward by the same, which partake of ther0- tary movement of the screw.

The meat then moves forward I wish particularly to call attention to thefact that my improved meat-cutter contains but three elements, two ofwhich are simple elements in the sense that each is an integralstructure. I have thus produced a meat-cutter virtually containing onlythree parts, all of Which may be cheaply constructed and which it isimpossible, from the nature of their shape for any one to assemble inany except the right way. I would also call attention to the fact thatthe heaviest cutting is done at the inner end of the outwardly flaringportion of the screw, and therefore at a point comparatively near thelongitudinal center of the screw, and to obvious advantage, for at suchpoint the leverage is short, and the power of the screw applied withgreat effect. In feed-screws having their outer ends oppositely tapered,they are largest in diameter Where the greatest cutting action takesplace, and therefore in them the power is applied to less advantage.After using the device there are only two parts to be cleaned, the caseand the screw, both of which are integral parts, and the portions ofthose parts.

in which particles of meat may find lodgmen-t are so exposed that theireffective cleaningis avery simple matter. Thus, on the one hand, theoutwardly flaring character of the outer end of the operating-chamber Bof the-case,

makes the case very easy of access, and therefore easy to cleanthoroughly, while, on the other hand,when the screwis removed from thecase every portion of it is readily accessible for being cleaned, andmoreover, its grooves and perforations are of a character which permitretained particles of meat to be readily dislodged.

By constructing the outer end of the operating-chamber in an outwardlyflaring form, and making the corresponding portion of the screw ofcomplementary shape, I am enabled to multiply the grooves and ribs ofthose parts to such an extent in consequence of the increased area thuspresented, that the preliminary cutting of the meat is so far augmentedthat the cutting action of the perforations or forming openings in thescrew, is reduced to the minimum. 1 may therefore employ very smallperforations or forming openings without diminishing the capacity of themachine,

or endangering its choking. Under my improved construction, also, theendwise pressure tending to force the screw out of the case is so nearlybalanced by, the endwise pressure tending to force the screw inward,that there is no necessity of adjusting the parts tightly together,whereby I effect an economy of power and also of undue wear of theparts.

For the same reason I am enabled to cutvery.

point, thus prolonging the life of the machine. What adjustment of themachine is required is easily provided for by means of the adjusting-screw forming a part of the handle, for by turning the said screwin the right direction, the combined forcer, cutter and former is drawninward toa new hearing, so to speak, within the chamber.

Preferably I multiply the grooves and ribs .in theflaring portions ofthe screw and chamber, because I am enabled in that. way to In view ofthe suggestions that I have made 7 of modifications which I may resortto, I would have it understood that I do not limit myself to the exactconstruction herein shown and described, but hold myself at liberty tomake such changes and alterations as fairly fall'within the spirit andscope of my invention.

- I am aware that it is old to construct the case and screw of a meatcutter with -outwardly flaring outer ends containing co-acting spirallyarranged grooves and ribs. I am also aware that it is old to constructthe case andscrew of a meat-cutter with outwardly flaring outer endscontaining co-acting spirally arranged grooves and ribs of which thosein the screw extend beyond those in the case to convey the cut meat to aseries of radially arranged perforations formed in the wall of the case.In the construction first described the meat is finally cut by aseparate plate arranged to remain stationary, or to revolve with thescrew, while in the construction last referred to the meat is finallycut by the case itself, and discharged upon the outer surface thereof.

Having fully described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire tosecure by Letters Patent, is

The herein described rotary meat-cutter comprising three main elements,namely, a case or frame cast in one piece, a cpmbined integralforcer-cutter and former, having the general form and action of-a screw,and a handle comprising the handle proper and a retaining screw, thesaid case being constructed with a circular chamber having its outer endflared outwardly and containing internal spirally arranged grooves andribs, terminating at their outer ends in the same or substantially thesame vertical plane at a point just within the end of the said chamber,and the said screw being constructed with an outwardly flaring outer endto con form to-the outwardly flaring outer end of the said chamber, andhaving spirally ar ranged ribs and grooves terminating at their outerends in the same or substantially the same vertical plane at a pointwhich will be within the outer ends of the ribs and grooves in the saidchamber when the parts are assembled, and furnished at a point beyondthe outer ends of its ribs and grooves with a circular series of formingopenings which fall within the range of the outer ends of the ribs andgrooves in the chamber when the cutter is assembled and discharge, andthe said handle being applied to the inner end of the screw whichprojects through the case and which screw is held in place by the saidhandle and the equalization of endwise thrust I 5 upon it, substantiallyas described.

In testimony whereof I have signed this specification in the presence oftwo subscribing witnesses.

LEVI T. SNOW.

Witnesses:

FRED 0. EARLE, GEORGE D. SEYMOUR.

